According to port CEO Jim Rothlin, the commission is
weighing a $4.5 million offer from development firm Sound West Group to purchase
the Washington Avenue property. By law, the port can’t sell
the land for less than fair market value.

Sound West partner Mike Brown told me the firm is interested in
creating a mixed-use development on the 2-acre site.

The port bought the land from Kitsap Consolidated Housing
Authority in 2009 for $3.5 million to provide parking for the
marina. The district put
the property on the market last year with an asking price
of $5 million.

Port CEO Jim Rothlin said the goal of the sale would be to pay
off the debt from the purchase while still maintaining parking
for boaters.

“At the time of the purchase the port’s intent was
always to see development occur there at some point that would help
increase growth and economic development for the community,”
Rothlin said prior to a Nov. 8 public hearing on the potential
sale.

“But the priority was really to make sure we secured
parking for the marina and were able to pay off debt on that
property as well.”

South Kitsap resident Roger Gay was the only member of the
public to offer comment. He urged commissioners to be upfront with
the public about the process and the potential impact
development of the property might have on the marina.

“You need to have those answers no ahead of time as
much as possible,” Gay said.

Port commissioners vowed to only agree to a sale if
parking for the marina was preserved.

The commission will review a purchase and sale
agreement for the property at its regular meeting, scheduled for 6
p.m. Tuesday at
Bremerton National Airport. Approval of the port’s 2017 budget
also is on
the agenda.

Global Government Services hired 96 full-time workers in
the past year, including laborers, helpers,
welders, electricians, machinists and mechanics.It plans to hire another 100 employees in the
coming year, according to the release.

“These companies’ commitment to
hiring veterans is truly exceptional,” Employment Security
Department Commissioner Peinecke said the in the release. “I
hope other Washington employers will be inspired and follow their
lead.”

The state’s WorkSource program placed nearly 7,500
veterans into jobs between July 2015 and June 2016.

Employers interested in hiring veterans can learn
more at the WorkSource
website.

The discount “gives us an opportunity to showcase what we
have to offer,” he said.

More downtown activity is also helping draw attention to the
marina. A revamped Rock the
Dock concert series drew large crowds this summer (the
last concert of the season is Saturday).
Brewfest and the Harbor Festival are
popular with boaters.

The port continues to aggressively plug the marina on
social media, in magazine ads, and at boat shows. Revenue has
increased as slips filled up, but the facility is still far from
breaking even.

By their count, total boat sales for Kitsap increased 21 percent
between 2010 (when activity bottomed out) and 2015. The rebound of
new boats sales was more dramatic, jumping 102 percent
over the same period.

New vessels accounted for 12 percent of Kitsap boat sales
in 2015. The data include all power boats and sailboats with
titles (so no kayaks or paddle boards).

According to a memo prepared by CEO Jim Rothlin, the goal of the
analysis would be to identify the port’s strengths
and generate a list of businesses that could benefit from
locating there.

“While the Port has many amenities to offer prospective tenants
at the Industrial Park, it is critical that we find a way to stand
apart from many other location options available to them,” Rothlin
wrote in the memo.

“Studies have shown, and our
customers have repeatedly told us that the number one utility they
value bar none is connectivity,” port CEO Jim Rothlin said in the
announcement. “It’s also the number one frustration they have with
marinas as it can so often be weak, slow and unreliable.

The network provides a 125-megabyte-per-second access link
shared by both facilities, which can be scaled up to 1
gigabyte-per-second as demand increases.

In an email, Rothlin said the agency spent about
$150,000 installing a fiber optic backbone and Wi-Fi system at
both marinas.

Hardware chosen for the network had to be especially rugged to
survive in the corrosive marine environment.

“I would say the biggest challenges
were getting coverage through all parts each marina, dealing with
getting coverage within covered moorage, and keeping the connection
across the two marinas as the tide goes in and out,” Rothlin
said.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force has accepted delivery of a pair
of 41-foot, center console interceptor vessels manufactured by
Bremerton’s SAFE Boats
International, according to a news release.

The boats will primarily be used to combat drug smuggling and
human trafficking in water surrounding the archipelago. Special
features include a thermal imaging camera and multi-function
display screens for the crew.

The offshore interceptor vessels can achieve speeds of more than
50 knots, even in rough water. Bahamas police have four
of the boats in service.

Port of Bremerton Commissioner Roger Zabinski was on
business in Japan last week and missed the final commission
meeting of the year.

The District 1 commissioner, who chose not to run for reelection
this year, still took a moment to reflect on his time with the port
in a statement read by CEO Jim Rothlin:

“I want to thank all the port staff,
commissioners and the public for the opportunity that I’ve had to
serve the public as a port commissioner these past six years. I’ve
really enjoyed this time and found the experience very
rewarding…

“I think the port is doing a good job serving the
public, maintaining public amenities and trying to further develop
the industrial park and the airport. I think the port commission
and staff are focused and committed to the port’s mission of
economic development and I encourage you all to keep at
it…”

Bremerton’s SAFE Boats
International has been chosen to build a line of speedy
river patrol vessels for the ColI mbian military.

The Colombian Navy/Coast Guard awarded a contract to the
manufacturer for the new 30-foot boat, designated as
the Type-F Riverine Interceptor Vessel.

“The vessel will perform missions of offensive patrolling,
combat drug trafficking, piracy, arms and explosives smuggling and
can conduct vessel-to-vessel boarding operations to guarantee the
security of commercial shipping lines within Colombia,” according
to a news release.

The interceptor can carry a crew of up to 10. The boat is
powered by twin Yamaha outboards and is capable of reaching 37
knots.

It features a retractable canopy, and front and rear machine gun
mounts.

SAFE Boats has completed the first riverine interceptor, which
will be delivered this month. The company expects to build as many
as two-dozen of the boats for Colombia in coming years.

The Colombian military already has more than 20 SAFE Boats
in service, including 41-foot coastal interceptor vessels and
38-foot coastal cabin patrol vessels.

“We have worked very close with the Colombian military to
understand just how aggressive and remote their missions can be and
to develop a boat that will significantly enhance their patrol and
interdiction capabilities on the large rivers of
Colombia,” John Hotz, director of sales for Latin America and
the Caribbean, said in the release.

The hillside parcel provides parking for marina tenants and
the port turns a profit renting additional parking stalls. But
with views of Sinclair Inlet and easy access to the ferry, the
property
has long been ogled by developers as a potential site for a
hotel, apartments or condos.

Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent made her preference clear in an
interview last fall.

“I’m hoping we can have a third hotel,” Lent said. “Because of
our expanded conference center, and the vitality of our city, we
could accommodate another hotel.”

The trick for the port will be finding a way to lease or
sell the land while maintaining parking for
the growing number of marina tenants. Boaters use about
half of the 120 parking spaces in the busy summer months.